Transcript

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>> The Trump Administration, Thursday, rolled out new proposals that threaten to roll back anti-pollution efforts. And set the stage for a prolonged legal battle with a number of states including California. At the heart of the plan, a White House attempt to slam the brakes on auto emissions standards put in place during the Obama years, says Reuters Transportation Editor, Joe White.

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>> Freeze US fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks at 2020 levels, which is roughly 37 miles a gallon on average. The administration's proposing to rescind a federal demand that automakers sell a certain quota of electric vehicles in the market.>> The proposals also revoke California's strict regulation on tailpipe emissions in favor of Washington's lighter touch.

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The White House claims the relaxed rules will help automakers and consumers.>> The administration's justification is electric vehicles aren't selling, forcing automakers to sell them at a loss doesn't make sense. They also argue that by cutting the cost of new vehicles by basically allowing automakers not to put more expensive fuel-saving technology on board.

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Will encourage people to buy newer vehicles, which the administration argues are safer.>> But environmentalist like the Sierra Club dispute those claims.>> Clean air standards in reverse is a hidden tax on families. Literally, making everything they do more expensive, more money to fuel the car.>> And state governments are crying federal overreach, 19 states, including California vowed to sue in order to stop the rollbacks.

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The legal battles are expected to ultimately take a road trip all the way to the Supreme Court.